The existence of moisture and humidity in all matter that surrounds us, in the air we breathe and in our environment play an integral part in promoting the essence of life. These same elements stem from the very source of all life which is water and of which in recent years has become extremely important and critical to properly manage, maintain and protect. This vital resource is becoming a priceless commodity due to the ever increasing global demands and population requirements for reusable, clean and potable water.
In recent years, several water production technological processes and techniques have been designed and developed to address these ever increasing global requirements. Some of the water production conventional hybrid systems presently on the market operate primarily by using heating and expanding the air's capability to absorb and retain moisture and then subsequently by cooling the air temperature below its dew point which condenses the suspended moisture into water droplets. Alternately, technologies have emerged such as water desalination systems which have been developed to process ocean salt water into potable water. Though effective, this technological solution has also proven to be costly both on the transformation and production of potable water as well as the high cost of system purchase and maintenance.
In addition, technologies such as water decontamination and filtration systems have also been developed as potable water production systems by removing harmful particles and bacteria in various non potable water sources. Whether these type systems deliver sanitized water or are limited in their processing and production capabilities, nevertheless, they still require a water source which may not always be existent and or available for use, in order to deliver decontaminated filtered water.
The (PH2OCP) Portable Water and Climatic Production system is a new and innovative technology which operates on a completely different premise which is that of differential moisture vapor concentration, vapor pressures and water vapor extraction.
All matter, substances including the ambient air and the environment hold moisture and water vapors that can be extracted.
The greater the dampness and humidity in the air, the greater the water vapor concentration. The PH2OCP system is designed and incorporates a desiccant rotor/wheel with three simultaneously operational yet segregated processes; an extraction process, a reactivation process and a condensation process.
The (PH2OCP) Portable Water and Climatic Production system combines high static and air velocity, a desiccant material for aggressive extraction of water vapors within the airstream, heat for air expansion and reactivation of the desiccant material and finally cooling for moisture vapor condensation and water production. In the preferred embodiment, the system is designed and can also be fitted and operated with a filtration and ultraviolet decontamination package to ensure that the resultant is free from particles and sanitized which then can be used as potable water. The operating principle of this system is that it incorporates a dry desiccant rotor/wheel constructed of a desiccant core material part of the extraction process. In the preferred embodiment, the core of the desiccant rotor/wheel is impregnated with silica gel which has a very low water vapor pressure. When damp humid high vapor pressure air molecules come in contact with the desiccant rotor/wheel surface low vapor pressure, the molecules move from high to low in an attempt to achieve equilibrium. As the wet damp airflow passes through the perforated desiccant material core in the desiccant rotor/wheel, the water vapor molecules are retained by the desiccant material part of the extraction process and the resulting discharge airflow is expelled extremely dry.
The dry airflow temperature is then raised substantially approximately 200 to 250 degrees F. as it is pulled through the superheated microwave reactivation system coils assembly part of the reactivation process. The dry airflow is drawn coming in contact again with the moisture laden desiccant core material within the desiccant rotor/wheel. This desiccant rotor/wheel rotates slowly about its longitudinal axis completing a full rotation approximately every 8-10 minutes. The heated airflow continues its path as it is pulled again through the segregated section of the perforated desiccant core material within the desiccant rotor/wheel. Heat as the effect of demagnetizing and deactivating the desiccant core material, enabling the desiccant material to release the accumulated water vapors into the heated dry airflow as it passes through.
The airflow continues to be drawn through the final section passing through the evaporator cooling coils in the condensation process where the water vapors are immediately cooled down to liquefy the vapors which condense into water. This water drips into a base receptacle located directly below the evaporator cooling coils and flowing through the filtration and decontamination section settling by gravity into the sealed water reservoir at the base of the unit. Though various filtration, purification and decontamination systems can be adapted and installed, in the preferred embodiment, the filtration is accomplished by an activated carbon filter and the decontamination and purification of the water by using an ultraviolet light UV lamp assembly which is enclosed in a transparent protective sleeve
The airflow which is now cooled and dry is expelled through the process outlet by means of a high static pressure blower which maintains and ensures the constant airflow through the various sections and processes. The exhausted air can then be used as a byproduct to provide supplemental climatic conditioning and environmental temperature control within an enclosed space or area.
Depending on the ambient temperature and operational conditions, the PH2OCP system control panel assisted by signals transmitted from the onboard sensors including temperature, humidity and airflow, which are located in the unit's process inlet and outlet. These sensors provide data to the (PLC) programmable logic controller panel which monitors and controls the proper operation and modulation of the components and processes in order to provide the maximum extraction and production of water within the specific climatic environment. These operational settings are activated automatically or manually programmed into the (PLC) programmable logic controller panel according to the onsite climatic conditions in order for the PH2OCP system to attract and extract the maximum air moisture vapors and optimize on water production. Given that the PH2OCP system employs various combinations of processes operating alternately or simultaneously through the input of the (PLC) controller panel and sensors, this allows the system the capability to effectively continue extracting and condensing vapors into water even when the dew point air temperature drops below freezing.
Therefore, the (PH2OCP) Portable Water and Climatic Production system performance capabilities is maintained whether it operates in damp or dry environments within colder or warmer temperatures. The PH2OCP performance capabilities are not hampered or even affected by temperature conditions and variations like other conventional systems. These operational limitations and drawbacks are usually associated with conventional cooling-based and or hybrid heating/cooling systems where the water production output is directly affected and limited by existing climatic conditions and variations. The PH2OCP system new design uses alternately or simultaneously its various components to effectively operate and produce water in all climatic and environmental conditions. Its wide range operational capabilities extract moisture vapors from the ambient air within the surrounding environment including hot arid or extremely cold climatic conditions. Therefore, the PH2OCP system is capable of maximizing extraction and transformation of airborne moisture vapors found in the atmosphere into usable and or drinkable water in all climatic environments, anywhere in the world. The high efficiency and water extraction and production capabilities of the PH2OCP system are rendered possible due to the fact that it incorporates in its process a desiccant rotor/wheel assembly. The desiccant material impregnated within the core of the desiccant rotor/wheel is designed for extremely high water vapor collection, attracting and retaining up to 10,000 percent its dry weight in water vapors. As previously explained, in order to demagnetize and deactivate the rotor desiccant material to enable it to release the stored water vapors, a high (heat) temperature rise in the airflow is absolutely required in the reactivation process in order to dry out the rotor desiccant material and extract the moisture vapors, which usually translates into high energy requirements.
The generating of heat can be accomplished with the use of but not limited to the following systems; electric heating banks or elements, flame gas burners or submersible heater immersed in a fluid running through coils located in the airflow pathway that act in a way to radiate and transfer heat onto the reactivation process airflow. These methods are generally the most commonly used means to heat the desiccant material, so that the airflow temperature rises to a degree set point before coming in contact with the surface of the desiccant material. In the case of a conventional water production system where heating and or cooling processes are utilized separately or in combination such as a hybrid system. The role of the heating section is to raise the temperature and expand the air volume allowing it to hold more moisture. This airflow then goes through the refrigerant coils which rapidly cool down the airflow temperature enabling the extraction by condensation suspended moisture vapors.
The PH2OCP system design addresses this heat production issue by incorporating a new and highly energy efficient microwave reactivation system which is installed in the reactivation process. In the preferred embodiment, the microwave reactivation system is designed and intended to be a high heat generating source. This high heat source is crucial and required in order to substantially raise the temperature of the reactivation process airflow to the desired setting prior to coming in contact with the moisture laden desiccant core material. This microwave reactivation system incorporated within the PH2OCP system produces heat by generating electromagnetic waves which pass through materials and fluids, causing the molecules within to rapidly oscillate in excitation and in turn generating heat.
In the preferred embodiment, the medium used in the microwave reactivation system to store and transmit this heat is a thermal fluid. This fluid is moved by means of supply and return pumps, flowing through a first parallel series of glass ceramic coils which is part of a closed-loop circuit, passing through the microwave heating chamber where the fluid molecules are treated and exposed to electromagnetic waves causing excitation and generating high heat. This super heated thermal fluid then flows through a second parallel series of metallic coils located in the reactivation process, in the direct path of the airflow. This heat transfer from the thermal fluid to the heat conductive metallic coils substantially raises the temperature of the airflow as it comes in contact and passes across the surface of the coils. This heated airflow is then used to deactivate the perforated desiccant material which is impregnated within the desiccant rotor/wheel as it passes through it. This heat laden airflow has a demagnetizing effect on the desiccant material enabling it to release the retained accumulated moisture vapors and thus greatly lowering the vapor pressure in the desiccant material within the desiccant rotor/wheel as it rotates back for reuse in the moisture vapor extraction process. It will be appreciated that while the microwave reaction system would be part of the preferred embodiment, nevertheless, other means of conventional heating outlined but not limited to, such as; electrical heating elements, submersible heating element immersed in a thermal fluid, gas fired or others can be utilized and incorporated in the reaction process section. Therefore, the (PH2OCP) Portable Water and Climatic Production system can extract transform and produce usable and or potable water in all climatic conditions whatever the operational environment.
In addition, its new highly efficient systems and processes substantially diminish the electrical power demand and energy consumption without compromising on system capability and performance, surpassing all technologies presently used on the market.